Nightingale
by PumpkinRomance
Summary: A terrible war raged by an unknown force reconstructed the planet's very foundations before the force vanished as unexpectedly as it had came. Decades later after the great rebuilding Dirk Strider finds himself in Thyme section of Wonderland and working for the English family and unfortunately is assigned to a job that makes his life more complicated. (Rated M for safety)
1. Prolouge

Decades ago there had been a terrible war ravaging the planet once known as Earth. A war raged by an unknown force reconstructed the planet's very foundations before the force vanished as unexpectedly as it had came. The main continents where forced into a circle around one large land mass and broken down, all connected by bridges and ports later on when reconstruction was ordered. But at the start the world was dark and bleak until one young man took charge and decided it was time to reform the new world. With the backing of nine other men he became the leader of this new world.

As time went by the outer continents or sections where renamed. Lux, Spás, Geist, Collera, Kenós, Hōpu, Destin, Viață, Blod, Aliento, and Thyme.

The land below the equator where the sun shone bright and the grass was lush was Lux. Spás was a tall city like section to the Northeast, built upon over and over again until there where barely any room for parks or zoos. The best and highest educations could only found in spacious Geist which was barely separated from Lux by a hundred miles to the west. Collera was one of the smaller sections, located in the Southeast, known it's intense inheritance. Kenós became the major production section, nearly five hundred miles from Collera. Hōpu flourished and worked on unearthing the knowledge of the past, nestled in the Northwest. Destin was a section to be reckoned with, there the weapons where built and the armies trained hoping to be prepared for another unknown attack, it was hidden in the shadows of the far north. Viață floated close to the center. Blod stood strong in the direct west. Aliento was across from Blod in the west.

In the very center of the sections was Heart, the ruling kingdom of the new world headed by the Harte line, the young man who had chosen to save his people. The nine who stood with him where given sections for them and they're descendants to look over and enforce his laws and rulings upon. Lux was given to Maryams. Spás to the Harleys. Geist to the Hussmann. Collara to the Makaras. Kenós to the . Hōpu to the Nitrams. Destin to the Megidos. Viață to the Crockers. Viață to the Captors. Blod to the Vantas'. Aliento to the Leigons. Thyme to English.

The following decade prospered with the growth of the world, capping off the decade with the King of Harte's marriage to a young powerful woman. By the end of the next decade they had been blessed with a son, an heir for the kingdom. Fifteen years blissful years later, on the anniversary of their son's birth the king was found in a puddle of blood in the congregation hall after the queen ran from the hall screaming for help. The Queen took over the reign of the kingdom seeing as the heir was barely fifteen. Within two months the young prince of Harte vanished from the public view, rumors swirled that the prince himself had been killed, more realistic theories boarded on the prince running away or being under lock and key in case the unknown force had been responsible for the death of his father and was now after him.

That is that short known history of Wonderland.

~ Four and a half years later ~

It was a normal night, cool but not cold. The leaves rustled atop the lush throng of trees in the heart of an abandoned forest just outside of the town line, the trees framed a small clearing empty save for a moss covered bolder and an ancient tree. A man sat beneath it, his arm resting on a raised knee, half hidden by shadow. Only his boots and a fraction of his dark jeans could be seen from a distance. From the edge of the clearing there was movement in the growth. With in seconds two forms had stepped into the moonlit clearing, one clearly looked out of his element as his honey brown eyes darted side to side, the second immediately spotted the man's feet and started towards him, her long messy blue-black hair seemed to swarm behind her almost like a tornado. The male, four inches shorter gasped and lunged after her.

"V-Virska?!" The man moved to grab at her arm, faltering at the last moment and choosing instead to keep up with her. "A-are you sure about this? I mean... Can.. Can we trust hi-?"

"Quiet Tavros!" Virska didn't even spare a second glance at her companion, her blue eyes locked on the figure under the tree. She slowed down a few feet away from the boulder, she placed a hand on her hip. "Are you the guy Roxy mentioned? Or am I in the wrong clearing in the center of the woods right outside of town with an old tree and bolder in the center of it?"

The man moved in the shadows. "Roxy sent you?"

"You know damn well that she set this meeting up." 

"I wasn't aware that it was for a loud mouthed arachnid." The man sighed faintly. "She knows how I feel about them."

Virska narrowed her eyes. "Are you the one she called or not?"

"You that uptight about this meeting? Probably should have set it up somewhere a bit more... controlled." The man smirked to himself, looking the two in front of him over. "Perhaps, might I suggest, less open and, dare I say, empty? Might make meeting like this a bit easier. For you at least."

"I'm not here to play games." Virska folded her arms, Tavros hiding behind her. "My boss has a problem that he thinks only you can solve."

"Here on boss's orders then. Makes a bit more sense." The man yawned, beginning to lose interest. "Who the hell is your boss?"

"Makara." Virska replied simply. Instantly the man was intrigued.

"Makara has a problem that he cannot solve himself?" He tisked. "That's not want his said last time."

"I-it's a r-rather delicate m-matter." Tavros piped in from behind Virska's elbow. "H-his family c-can't be l-linked to-"

"Hmm..."

"Interested?" Virska asked, her tone sounded more likely to be used to teasing a dog with a bone.

The man leaned forward, still half hidden in the shadows. "That depends on what his 'problem' is." He smirked widely. "And what's in it for me?"


	2. It's The Shot That Counts, Right?

June. Why was June always so fucking hot? Dirk Strider groaned as his alarm rang out the second it clicked to seven. If the fucking thing wasn't his phone Dirk would have smashed the alarm to it's untimely and well deserved end. The underlining fact that he needed his phone was the only saving grace. Dirk sleepily opened an eyelid half way, half of his face burrowed into the pillow. He glanced at his phone. Monday. He groaned, sliding his finger across the screen of his phone, and pushed himself into a sitting position. He blinked around the room sleepily, taking in his surroundings. Riiiiight. The hotel room he was lucky to find at the last second. Figures.

Dirk dropped his phone into his lap, stretching his arms upwards and yawning loudly. After he let his arms fall to his sides and flopped backwards on to the soft fluffy bed. Sleep. That's what his body begged for. Logically he could only allow a few more moments in the warmth of the rented bed before he had to get up and begin getting ready for the day. More importantly for his interview. Dirk sighed through his nose, his orange eyes distant as he stared up at the ceiling. After a few moments he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Without a second to pause he threw the blankets off of himself and slipped out of bed. He was clad only in a pair of orange pj pants.

Dirk reached into his bag and pulled out a toothbrush, a comb, toothpaste, a special blend hair gel, and a set of clothes. Some of the sharpest he owned and if today went well he may be wearing more things like this more often. Dirk showered and dressed quickly, spending more time as usual on his hair making sure it was set just right before packing up and making the bed. Dirk picked up his phone and checked the time. Eight thirty-eight.

"Damn." Dirk mumbled as he slipped it into the pocket of his black dress pants. He was running a little behind schedule. And by little he meant twenty minutes. The interview started in forty-five minutes. He had to get there on time. No messing around. Dirk quickly grabbed his wallet and his keys before bolting out of his room.

In less then five minutes he had gotten into his car and was turning the corner. It was surprisingly sunny for a day that just last night had called for clouds and light showers. Dirk rolled down the windows enjoying the warm rays of sunlight on his skin.

"Here we go." He muttered to himself, setting the GPS on his phone to his destination. The Lord's estate.

/~/~/~/

With a few minutes to spare Dirk had been able to arrive and park his car. Dirk darted to the door one of the gardeners had pointed to. He didn't have enough time to be starstruck or even taken back by the estate, nearly seventeen acres of land stretched around the palace like home, before going inside. Dirk paused, his eyes darting around to take everything in. It was a rare sight to see a home so clean that anime sparkles seemed to appear above them. Counters, woodwork, tile, banisters, picture frames, hell even the fucking rug sparkled the innocence of several young anime children. Holy fuck.

"Are you lost sir?" Dirk didn't respond immediately, instead he glanced around one more time, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "Sir?"

Dirk froze when a hand gently grabbed his shoulder. He turned and found himself face to face with a man about a head shorter than him wearing a tailored suit, a pair of shades, and an ear piece. He hair was salt and pepper flecked and his expression one of absolutely no bullshit taken here. Dirk raised an eyebrow.

"You don't have to call me sir." Dirk responded simply, his expression unchanging.

The man arched an eyebrow over his shades. "Cheeky."

"So I've been told." Dirk took one more quick look around. "I'm here for an interview. I filled out the application yesterday and was told to be here by nine fifty."

"Strider right?" Dirk nodded as he turned his attention back to the FBI wannabe.

"Think you can point me in the right direction?"

The man in front of him paused, almost as if behind those shades he was looking Dirk over. "Yes I can." The man gestured for Dirk to follow him. He lead Dirk back into a small office. "I'm head of security here. My name is David Kale."

Dirk raised an eyebrow, taking a seat as Kale motioned for him to take one. "Mr Kale? That's a bizarre name. Named after a green leafy vegetation?"

"Strider is normal to you?" The man settled into his seat behind his desk. "What brings you to apply as part of security? In particularly the bodyguard elite? I've looked over your credentials and ran you through the data base-"

"Don't tell me I'm over qualified." Dirk smirked.

"It's not that, I'm more concerned about your file."

Dirk knew where this was going. "Let's just go with I'm trying to put some distance between my family. Didn't exactly agree on life choices and such. I'd rather not have to explain my personal life, or lack there of."

Kale removed his shades, sighing faintly as he continued to analyze Dirk before glancing back down at the papers in front of him. Dirk tried not to look as bored out of his mind as he felt. Nothing is energizing this. Dirk glanced out the window trying to figure out why exactly this was the only way he could get a job. He used to have an overwhelming amount and now here he was waiting for a man to get over his redacted and locked file long enough to evaluate whether he could preform whatever station of bodyguard that suited him.

The sound of Kale clearing his throat called Dirk's attention back to the interview. Dirk's eyes darted back over to the head of security sharp with curiosity. He had been reassured that there was no way that someone with skills like his could be turned away from any protection position in good concise. Specifically this one.

"How are you at climbing?" Kale asked taking Dirk off guard for a moment.

"It's as easy as walking."

"Avoiding perilous or escaping dangerous situations?"

"Isn't that what a guard does?" Dirk asked raising an eyebrow. "Or does it have a second definition I don't know about?"

"Are you prepared to die for your charge?"

"It's not like I've got planed for my life." Dirk shrugged. "Dying on the job doesn't seem like a bad way to go if it can't be avoided."

Kale nodded and stood. "And are your fighting and sparing skills sharp and up to date?"

"More like futuristic." Dirk watched Kale completely at ease as the man walked around his desk.

"Good. Good." Kale grinned, clasping his hands behind his back. "I think I have the perfect position for you. Can hardly find anyone willing to take it and even if they do they don't last long. Usually ask to switch to one of the cousins or even perimeter detail."

"Doesn't sound like I'm being hired to protect and serve the Lord." Dirk replied offhandedly before he could ketch himself. Mental he attempted to shrug off the way Kale looked at him.

"No." Kale looked Dirk over once more quickly before becoming slightly more friendly. "No, he has more then enough to protect him. It's his son that he's worried about."

"His son?" Dirk repeated feeling slightly deflated. Yet his voice and expression betrayed nothing but faint curiosity. "Is his son feral? I'm not sure I understand how he loses guards so easily."

"He's quiet fond of adventures." Dirk inclined his head slightly and Kale continued. "As a point of reference Laura Croft and Indian Jones. He's also a rather large fan of movies."

"What kind of movies?" Dirk asked trying to figure out if he could handle mind blowingly shitty movies 24/7.

"Any kind, all kinds really." Kale winced clearly empathetic. "His favorite so far is Avatar."

"The last air bender or the alien one?"

"Does it truly matter?"

"Yes, it does." Dirk replied seriously. "The Last Airbender movie was an insult to the entire franchise."

"I... uh.. I believe it is the alien one."

"I think I can live with that." Hopefully, Dirk thought to himself as he sat up. "Is there a walk through? A contract? Or do I wait until Lord jr wants to interrogate me?"

"You're going to take the position?"

Dirk smirked. "Who the else is going to watch out for the guy. Sounds like he's stuck in a daydream or something."

/~/~/~/

Jake awoke to the sound of his phone alarm. His head was buried into the pillow as he reached out blindly with one hand, slapping around wildly and sleepily to silence the blasted thing. Jake groaned loudly and rolled onto his side. He snatched up his phone and sliding snooze on before tossing it onto a nearby pillow and burrowing back into the warmth of his bed.

He was beginning to relax against the sheets when his phone rang out pulling him from any chance he had at sleeping. Jake groaned loudly again flopping onto his side, snatching up his phone and answering.

"Hello?" Jake muttered sleepily rubbing at his eyes. "Is there had better be a crackerjack explanation for this wake up call."

"I'm sorry sir, it's David Kale." Jake sat up a bit, his sleepy green eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Your father had informed me to relay to you that we had found you a new body guard. Luckily we were able to find one that is able to start immediately so you will be able to go on your expedition at five."

"Really?" Jake was instantly awake. "You have? Flaming knickers!"

"Yes sir. He's on his way now."

"What's his name?" Jake asked excitedly, scrambling to his feet.

"I'm sure he'll enjoy introducing himself sir." Kale smiled faintly through the phone, ecstatic himself that he had been able to find someone to replace the last one at the last minute. "I must return to your father with the news."

"Rodger that!" Jake hung up hurrying to his closet, pulling out some clothes and rushing through the shower. He walked out of the room toweling off his hair, clothed only in a pair of shorts and a bright lopsided smile. The idea of adventures had fully woken him up and his heart was beating in his chest like a skilled hand on a bongo drum.

Jake nearly jumped out of his skin, his shirt slipping out of his hand, at the rap at the door.

"Gosh golly! Come in!" Jake smiled in what he hoped wasn't goofy as the door to his room swung open. Immediately Jake glance over the man standing in front of him and felt embarrassed for the lack of a shirt. The guy standing in front of Jake was taller by a few inches, his hair spiked up and out behind him, sideburns stopped barely half an inch above the curve of his jawbone, his suit molded to his body, but it was his orange eyes that took Jake off guard.

Jake tilted his head slightly, puzzled of those eyes. That was until the owner of those eyes cleared his throat causing Jake to color and snatch up his shirt.

"Hello." When Jake spared a glance up he saw the corner of the man's mouth turned up. "My name is Dirk Strider."

"Mr Strider is it?" Jake pulled his shirt on, avoiding the temptation to look back at Dirk and find more inadequacies about himself. Instead of that he snatched up his double holsters and secured them. "Are you sure you can work in that? It may not be the best outfit for mission such as this."

"I can work efficiently in whatever attire you want me in." Jake couldn't help but notice the soft indifference to Dirk's tone that was barely audible over his business like approach. "If you're that worried I can see what I can do to set you at ease."

Jake sighed and rolled his eyes. So he was another one of his father's little yes men. Dull, judgmental, and very likely to run for the hills at the first sight of trouble.

"If you survive this time then perhaps we'll look into what you'll need to wear in my employ." Jake glanced over his shoulder at Dirk who was standing in the doorway his eyes scanning what Jake couldn't see. Dirk nodded slightly.

"Sounds like a plan," Jake slipped his guns into their holsters. "Mr Enlgish."

Jake nearly dropped one of his guns his eyes wide.

/~/~/~/

Dirk glanced around himself as the helicopter pulled the rope ladder back inside and headed back. It was thick with plant life and crumbling mountain. Kale wasn't joking about the kid being adventurous, but at least they were still on Thyme. No one had stepped foot on this lost quarter in at the very least a century. Jake was already bubbling with strange phrases. For a moment Dirk had though he had heard something about Merlin's pants and some form of pie. Dirk's eyes latched onto Jake slightly concerned as he stumbled over air.

Well, so much for the passing thought that this could be an easy job. Dirk never got his hands on an easy job so it wasn't much of a disappointment, just a slight annoyance. It took a moment for Dirk snap out of his analysis and focus on his charge. This wasn't a part of the plan... but he could always make this turn of events work. Dirk watched as Jake pulled out a map trying to figure out why he was so interested in exploring. Dirk walked over to Jake, the sound of his shoes crunching in the dried mud a soft background noise. Dirk arched his arched his neck to glance over the map, pausing when a pair of bright green eyes caught his. Jake narrowed his green eyes.

"I can read a map Mr Strider." Dirk's eyebrows arched up and he held his hands up as Jake folded the map up and slipped it into his oddly short shorts.

"I never said you couldn't. I like being prepared and knowing where I am." Dirk lowered his hands his eyes drifting towards a strange pathway heading deeper into the quarter. Dirk narrowed his eyes slightly only to be caught of guard by sudden movement in the corner of his eye. His eyes imitatively darted back to Jake only to find the muzzle of the other man's gun in his face. Jake stood a few feet away smiling.

"Now, Mr Strider, you and I need to come to an understanding."

"I do hope this understanding has nothing to do with me french kissing your gun." Dirk smirked as the other man blushed.

"That-That is completely unrelated to the understanding I have in mind!" Jake stuttered, gripping the gun tighter.

"You've never done this before have you?"

"If I hadn't would it be wise to antagonize me?"

"Who told you I wise?" Dirk smirked, his hands still held up to Jake.

"No one... Shut up!" Jake huffed in frustration, the nose of his gun two inches from Dirk's nose. It took all of Dirk's self control to keep from rolling his eyes. The kid was a virgin at this that much was clear but Dirk couldn't see the point in busting the little heir's dream bubble. "You are going to stay out of my way, got it?"

Fat chance. Dirk tilted his head slightly in flux confusion earning himself a tiny growl.

"You're slower than the others." Jake narrowed his eyes and looked Dirk over. "They threw their hands up and kept quiet. They did as they were told."

"One my hands are up." Dirk jazz handed keeping his expression straight. "And ni you haven't told me to do anything."

"W-what?"

"Yeah I just, you know, antagonized you."

"What does ni bloody well mean?"

"Two. One. Two." Dirk shrugged, the corner of his mouth twitching. "It's Japanese counting. There are two other words for two to be grammatically correct. Futatsu and futatsume or nibanme."

"I have a fucking gun to your face and you're trying to give me a lesson in Japanese?" Jake's brow scrunched in a mixture of disbelief and confusion. "What in great green gadzooks is bloody Japanese?"

"I'm going to go ahead and assume your tutor was held at gun point as well." Dirk tisked. "It's apart of history. A 'lost' language some say."

"I don't care!"

"Then why ask?" Dirk bit his tongue to keep from continuing, his charge's hand had begun to shake. Dirk watched Jake calmly for a moment. "What is it you want me to do sir?"

"For starters shut the bloody fuck up!" Jake's gun hand steadied his other hand clenched in a shaking fist at his side. Dirk caught Jake's eye and dipped his head slightly in understanding. "Now... you Mr Strider, you are going to stay as far out of my way as possible. Understood?"

Dirk exhaled slowly, sounding as if he were resigned to Jake's demand rather than humoring him.

"Good. And you are to asked to be assigned back to my father when we return. I don't care how much you boasted how you can protect his only heir. I don't need a babysitter!" Jake pulled himself to his full six foot 3/4 inch height. "I'm twenty not five."

"Not an option." Dirk didn't look away. "At least not for me."

"And why the hell not Strider?"

"Your dad doesn't take well to broken contracts." Dirk disregarded the gun pointed at his face and placed his hands in his pockets. "I can promise not to interfere with whatever type of thrill seeking you're doing, so long as you can't get killed or harmed to badly. Sound like a deal?"

"No." Jake slowly lowered the gun. "It doesn't."

"I feel as though this is escalating quickly." Dirk's eyes darted lazily between Jake's eyes and the gun. "Are you sure you fully understand what you're doing here?"

"Yes." Jake moved quickly and sloppily, shooting Dirk in the leg before heading to the pathway. Dirk cursed loudly, glancing down at the graze on the side of his calf and immediately clamped his hand down on the wound his mind churning quickly, remembering how odd the pathway Jake was headed towards had looked.

"Fuck me." Dirk jumped to his feet and raced after Jake, grabbing his arm just as the earth of the path gave out underneath him. Jake's hand latched around Dirk's forearm as he stared down at the large spikes at the bottom of the pit. "You really need think through your actions." Dirk panted, looking down at Jake. "Because all of that was really fucking stupid."

Jake glared up at him. "Happy are you?"

"Over the fucking moon." Dirk replied as he pulled Jake up with a faint grunt.

"You knew it was there didn't you?" Jake flopped onto his back, his legs dangling into the pit and his glasses crooked. "The entire time. When I held you at gun point you knew this pit was here."

Dirk had his back to Jake and was bent over his shin, he shrugged his shoulders at the accusation. "I had an inkling. I wasn't sure and it's not a good idea to let your charge forward towards your death."

Jake huffed and closed his eyes. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You had a gun in my face and shot me before I could calm you down." Dirk started to roll up his pant leg, focusing on the wound.

Jake sat up and pulled his legs out of the pit. He glanced at the other man's back for a moment. Weird. Jake wasn't sure what to make of him, he wasn't complaining about being shot. At the very most he sounded as if he were answering simple inquires at tea time not like he had just been shot in the leg and was working on fixing it up.

"What are you?" Jake asked bluntly, his bright emerald green eyes sharp with curiosity. Dirk glanced over his shoulder faintly taken back by the bluntness of the question. Weren't the families of lords meant to be held at the highest standards of society? Dirk sighed and smirked faintly in amusement already knowing the answer. Apparently Jacob English, heir of Thyme, was an exception to the rule.

"Dirk Strider, your body guard."

"No, what are you?" Jake narrowed his eyes, his guns and hands on his knees. "You just took a bullet to the leg and you haven't shouted once. You can't possibly be a human."

"I was just very well trained." Dirk turned his attention back to his leg. "I did shout and you shot me sloppily luckily. It's not that bad once you get past the blood and the sting."

"... You must have been one of my father's best."

"What?" Dirk pushed his pant leg back down. "Father's best what?"

"Body guards." Jake focused on the pointed wooden spikes in the pit. "Or mercenaries."

"I wasn't your father's anything." Dirk pushed himself to his feet as if he hadn't been shot. "I was hired a few hours ago to make sure you didn't get killed or maimed or badly damaged. I've never met your father before. I only met Kale."

"Forgive me, but I don't bloody fucking believe you." Jake huffed placing his guns into they're holster.

"Color me shocked." Dirk replied dryly as he stuffed his hands into his the pockets of his black jeans, watching Jake faintly interested. "Now, do you want to finish your adventure? Or should we head back?"

Jake frowned and looked up meeting Dirk's bizarrely orange with his own emerald ones. "I.. Of course we'll go on. I just don't trust you." Jake sighed. "You're just reporting to my dad."

"I didn't expect you to trust me from the get go." Dirk met his gaze evenly. "I'm going to have to earn your trust and I know that. The only thing I didn't calculate was you shooting me in the leg."

Jake smiled sheepishly. "Yes, well... I am sorry about that. Truly. I only intended to scare you off."

"Didn't work out well did it?"

"Not exactly, no."

"Next time just tell me to back the fuck off. That's the easiest way to get your space if you really need it."

"And will you listen?"

Dirk shrugged. "If you aren't in too much trouble yeah."

"Alright then. Back the fuck off." Dirk smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Alright hotshot." Dirk offered Jake his hand. "Lets get on it."


	3. La La Intoxicated

Dirk strolled into the English mansion, his hands in the pockets of his black jeans and his katana on his back. He had been doing so for the past month, always heading directly up to Jake's suite and hardly ever curbing his stride to exchange pleasantries yet still, Kale noted, several of the maids eyes trailed after him. A butler actually fell down the stairs from lack of attention to where he was going. Halfway down Dirk grabbed him, pulling him to a stop before helping him to his feet.

Dirk grinned, dusting the man off. "You okay there man? You should really watch out for those stairs." The butler merely nodded and mumbled an apology. "Whoa man, chill. Accidents happen. Just try and be more careful okay? I can't always save your ass." Dirk clapped him on the shoulder before resuming his path. High chance Jake was either impatiently pacing the floor in front of his door or still sleeping. Either way Dirk was going to earn a glare the moment he walked in.

Dirk had learned to his general amusement on his second week that no matter what time it was he was either late or early. Always. There was no in between at that point with Lord English jr. He had also learned that that particular nickname was not warmly received by his companion. Dirk paused for a second, his hand on the handle of Jake's room. What happened a month ago hadn't been mentioned between either of them since they had been beside the pit but the frostiness and the way Jake acted, it didn't interfere much with Dirk's job but it did cause him to wonder if at any moment he was going to find another gun in his face. It's not like it hasn't happened countless times before but he couldn't exactly fight the man he's meant to protect. No matter how much Dirk would love to show the earl how to actually fight.

Dirk rolled his shoulders to relax himself before opening the door and- What the actual fuck? Dirk blinked slowly, his face expressionless as he took in the sight in front of him, his hand still on the door handle. Standing on the large plush bed was the 'heir' of Thyme, he was pressed up against the wall and making out with a poster from a movie made long ago in 2009 or some shit. Full on macking on the blue alien chick. Dirk was unsure of what the protocol was for this, he had never walked in on anything like this. Not like he judged, he'd done weirder but no one ever actually walked in on him doing it. What did social edict call for? Dirk wracked his brain. No matter how the height of his IQ Dirk only had one reasonable response to what was happening right in front of him. Sass.

"So you want me to wait outside or watch you get DNA all over that poster?" Dirk watched passively as Jake jumped backwards with a yelp, his eyes wide, and start to fall off the bed. When it was clear Jake was going to plummet five feet to the floor Dirk flashed over and caught him with ease, his arms hooked under Jake's armpits. Jake stared up at him in surprise, his head leaning back against Dirk's chest for a better look at the man's face. Dirk's expression hadn't changed from its passive mold but there was a tiny sparkle of something in his eyes.

"I... where...?" The moment Jake spoke the sparkle of emotion in Dirk's eyes vanished, irritating Jake. His blasted body guard never showed even a hint of an emotion if it wasn't vague amusement or a very rare occasion and it pissed Jake off. Jake spent hours trying to figure out a way to irritate the blond the way he irritated Jake with his lack of emotion leading Jake into fits of pure, of course, irritation. Lashing out at Dirk left and right trying to get a bit of emotion of reaction out of him. Anything. The moment that little spark of emotion, concern or guilt or whatever the fuck, vanished it sparked Jake's irritation time bomb.

"You okay there?" Dirk asked as he looked over Jake's well built form, looking for any form of bodily harm. "You nearly cracked your head open."

"Yes and whose fucking fault would that have been?" Jake got to his feet and roughly jerked out of Dirk's arms, tumbling forward on to the bed face first and ass up. "Ugh!"

Dirk's eyes widened slightly at the view before looking away, a ting of color mixing with his complexion. He gave his head a quick shake before turning back to Jake who had righted himself on the bed and was glaring at Dirk.

"Enjoy the show?" Jake snapped as he clamored to his feet, his glare still fixed on Dirk. Dirk's eyebrows arched upwards. "I bet you enjoyed giving me the greatest scare of my fucking life right fucking there! Shit on crackers Strider-!"

"-That doesn't sound kosher right there."

"Shut up! You are the most infuriating dick of a fucking person!" Jake shoved against Dirk's chest, causing Dirk to take two involuntary steps back. "Why didn't you knock on the blasted motherfucking door?!"

Dirk blinked, internally taken of guard. Without thinking Dirk met Jake's gaze which blazed with anger and irritation. "You told me from the start to just come it."

"So you thought it was perfectly fine to startle me?!"

"Anything I did would have either startled you, annoyed you, or pissed you off." Dirk didn't move an inch as he felt the blazing glare intensify. "I figured startling would be the simplest option."

Jake practically growled in frustration his hands in fists at his sides. "I swear!"

"I've noticed..." It suddenly crossed Dirk's mind that perhaps keeping his mouth shut would be a good idea at the moment. It sounded like a good idea, it was just that once Dirk got going it took some effort to stop him.

Jake took a step towards Dirk his green eyes glinting. Dirk raised an eyebrow. All of this had escalated quickly yet again. Maybe he should have just stood outside to suite. Dirk sighed inwardly, this wasn't going to end well. Apparently there was something on Jake's mind and whenever something bothered Jake it was guaranteed that it was going to bother Dirk too. Dirk for a fleeting moment thought longingly of his last job. Quick. Easy. Uncomplicated. That was until Dirk's head snapped to the side from the force of Jake's fist. Dirk stumbled to the side a bit his eyes blow wide in shock.

"Ow!" Dirk's hand touched his throbbing cheek as he focused his eyes on Jake who was bouncing up and down, gripping his hand to his chest. "Dickens that smarts!"

Dirk stepped in front of Jake and gently freed Jake's hand long enough to examine it.

"H-hey!" Jake protested.

Dirk paused and glanced up and Jake. "Shh. I won't hurt you. I just want to make sure you didn't break anything."

"If I did it was because of your thick skull." Jake retorted with a wince, relinquishing his hand to Dirk. Dirk looked over the hand, completely focused. Jake bit his lip as Dirk gently felt up the fingers and the wrist bones.

"Wouldn't surprise me." Dirk replied calmly. "I have been told that once or twice. Luckily it's just a bruise."

"Oh." Jake frowned in confusion, watching his body guard with a strange look in his eyes. Dirk let go of his hand and took a step back.

"Yeah..." Dirk rubbed his cheek. "I'll get you some ice."

Jake nodded faintly, vaguely confused. "Okay."

Dirk felt Jake's eyes on him as he stepped outside of the suite. In the middle of an empty corridor halfway to the kitchen Dirk bowed his head his shoulders shaking with quiet laughter. "What a dork."

/~/~/~/

"So he just jacked ya in the jaw?" Dirk's orange eyes cut over the rim of his Painkiller Cocktail to the tipsy blonde across from him, her pink eyes narrowed in amusement a stark contrast from her oddly flawless black lipstick. The blonde rested her chin in the palm of her hand, her dark lips spread wide into dazzling smile, her free hand holding a 75 cocktail at a mockingly dangerous angle. "Just like that? Daaaaayumn D-Stri."

Dirk shrugged as he took a long drink from his glass.

"So, lemme tink, dis ova." A lock of her short hair fell in front of her face as she giggled. "You just let that happen?"

"It's more complicated then that Rox." Dirk replied after he finished his drink. "I couldn't have stopped him if I wanted to."

"Why not?" Roxy Lalonde leaned on her elbow, her chin still resting in the palm of her hand. "I mat not know much abut your line of work-" She used her cocktail hand to make air quotations. "-but, I'm pretty suuuuuure that taking a punch to the cheek by your... whateva the fuck ya call 'em, isn't apart of it."

"Probably should have knocked."

"Psh. You never knock Dirky." Roxy's eyes were still locked on Dirk's face, more specifically his cheek. "Besides, that's no reason to turn your face into a half assed ink rag."

"The guy may just not like me Roxy." Dirk caught the eye of a waitress and signaled for two more drinks. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Roxy finish off hers with a strange possession of grace. "It's not an unheard of opinion you know."

"It's largely unheard of Dirky." Roxy replied, under the table nudging his shoe with the toe of her dark blue heeled boots. "I can't think of a single person who doesn't like ya that ya didn't some how-"

"Hurt? Fucked over?" Dirk leaned his elbows on the table and cocked his head slightly at Roxy. "Ro-La, you have this weird perception that I am a motherfucking angel sent to show Wonderland the light or some prophetic shit. I'm just a guy. People are bound to dislike me and hell throw a few punches."

"Didn't he shoot ya-"

"That's besides the point." Dirk shook his head, his eyes dropping to his hands. " I need this job Roxanne. You know that. I can't keep dicking around and hoping that everything works itself out like usual. It's not going to be able to fly anymore."

"'kay." Roxy sighed stirring the empty glace with the complimentary toothpick olive comb.

"Why don't you just tell 'em you to leave those out if you hate them so much?"

"Huh?" Roxy snapped out of her daze. "I dunno. Doesn't really bother me I guess."

Dirk's eyebrows arched up. "Doesn't bother you? Last time we went out for a drink you told them that every time you got an olive you'd send the entire drink back."

"The last time we went drinking was a year ago."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"I don't remember it being a year." Dirk looked up at her, his gaze faintly imploring.

"You ran off to Aliento to try and find something remember?" Roxy took the fresh drink that was offered to her. She shot and accusatory glare at him. "And to top it of you didn't call me or nothin'."

"Roxy I honestly don't remember it being a year." Dirk sighed heavily taking a large gulp of his drink. Dirk turned to the waitress as she started to walk away. "Can we have a bottle of vodka if it's not too much trouble?"

"Of course darling, coming right up!" The waitress smiled widely at him before heading back to the bar.

"And now you're flirting."

Dirk turned back to see Roxy's glare magnify. "I should have asked for two bottles." This had to be the worst day for him in ages. First a punch to the face and now Roxy entering the small window of possessive drunk? If she gets stuck there it's going to be a long night. "Roxy I wasn't flirting with her. I was asking for a bottle of Vodka, didn't cha hear me?"

"I heard that smile she had."

"How in the fucking hell can you hear a smile?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, happily I don't." Dirk fixated himself on his drink, doing his best to finish it before Roxy could reply.

"She liiiikes you." Roxy sighed as her foot retreated. Damn it.

Dirk lowered his drink an inch his eyes on Roxy. "So?" Roxy's expression caused him to internally curse himself and hurry to quip out a remark to smooth his slip over. "Let her Rox. Did you even notice me during the exchange?"

"No..." Roxy squinted, her focus entirely on Dirk. "Why would I?"

"If you did you wouldn't have even thought to be jeal-jeai-envious." Dirk shook his head, feeling the massive amounts of alcohol they had consumed earlier beginning to kick in. "She's not my type Ro-Lalalala."

Roxy smiled warmly. "And tell me D-Stri, what is your type?"

"The hell if I fuckin' know." Dirk smirked back nearly dropping his glass as he put it on the table. "I guess I just like who I like."

"Yeah?" Roxy twirled the speared olive almost as if it where a wand. "And who do you like at the moment?"

"Right now?" Dirk cocked an eyebrow and leaned towards her.

"Ya heard me." Roxy pointed her 'weapon' at him her eyes sparkling even in the drunken haze. "Who do ya like now huh?"

Dirk hesitated for a few seconds. The question didn't take him off guard, it never did seeing as she asked him every time they got to this point. They were both on the cusp of intoxication, both still thinking semi clearly, and there had been flirtation of some form. What he was unprepared for was what answer to give, he had learned the hard way that no matter how he answer the end game was the same. The only thing that changed was how they both felt about it and if they talked with in the next few weeks.

Luckily Dirk's smirk hadn't faltered and he got to his feet unsteadily and slipped into Roxy's side of the booth pressing her against the vinyl corner. Dirk leaned in brushing his cheek against hers and whispered in her ear. "You know I only have eyes for you tonight Rox."

"Only tonight?" Dirk thought he caught a hint of sadness in her teasing tone.

Dirk pulled back to face her. "Roxy, is that doubt I hear?"

Roxy shook her head and smiled. "No, I just wish you'd, ya know, throw in an I looooooove you Roxanne."

"How about this, the honest to Gog truth." Dirk rested his forehead against Roxy's as pink dusted her cheeks. "You're the only girl for me."

"Y-ya... ya mean it?" Roxy asked breathlessly her pink eyes locked on his orange orbs. "The only one?"

"Yes." Dirk leaned forward, their noses colliding as he sloppily pressed his lips against hers in the most awkwardly heated kiss he had ever had. At least as far as he could remember. Dirk pulled back just as the waitress placed the bottle in the middle of the table and set up two shot glasses. "Thanks."

Roxy laughed softly and nudged Dirk in the side as the waitress headed to another table. "You're a liar."

"Yes but that's not dismissing what I just said." Dirk poured them both shots the best he could knowing from past experiences that Roxy was too far go to pour them out herself. Placing the bottle down he slid a shot in front of Roxy. "I meant it Roxy. You are the only girl in the world to me."

Roxy's smile was dazzling throwing Dirk off slightly as he picked up his own shot and clinked it against her's. It wasn't a lie. She is the only girl he's ever wanted or thought of that way and he did love her in the only way he was capable at the moment. Dirk knew he cared very much for her but a strange sickening feeling in his stomach bothered him. The feeling caused him to falter in tossing his shot back with Roxy by a second, noticeable to only himself. Dirk closed his eyes as the vodka slipped smoothly down his throat leaving a faint burn and pushed the feeling away. By the time he opened his eyes a second later he was grinning and reaching for the bottle for a refill.

/~/~/~/

The loudly muffled sound of the six o'clock alarm was the first thing Dirk heard in the morning. Loud sirens wailed from where ever the fucking hell his phone was. Dirk groaned and grimaced, resenting that sirens where the only true way to unsure that he was up. Dirk rolled from his comfortable pillow hugging position onto his side and pushed himself up wincing as the world spun, his head throbbing. Dirk opened his eyes into slits and took in his surroundings the best he could with sleep fogged vision. Pale pink wallpaper, polished antique wood bedroom furniture, a vase of flowers on the nightstand... Roxy's room. Dirk pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes, rubbing them before letting his hands fall into his lap. Dirk slipped out of the bed and silently flashed over to his pants pulling out his phone. Dirk slide his thumb across the screen turning the alarm off, glancing over his shoulder at the mound of sheets and blankets that could only be Roxy.

Dirk collected the scattered cloths from the floor and threw them in the wash. Following the finding of overnight bag and a towel he took a quick shower battling a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Dirk toweled off, dressed, gelled his hair, and brushed his teeth. By the time he had cleaned up and left the bathroom he has sufficiently won the battle and threw together a quick breakfast for Roxy picking up an orange for himself. Dirk glanced at the clock. 7:15. If he left now he'd be early enough to catch the heir off guard. Dirk smirked faintly, wincing immediately afterwards. Fuck. Dirk reached into one of Roxy's baskets and pulled out a bottle of painkillers. Thank God, Roxy religiously kept her house stocked full of hangover remedies. Dirk swallowed two small pills dry, his eyes cutting to the side when he heard a soft yawn.

"Morning Ro-La." Dirk offered her a small smirk and the bottle.

"Ugh..." Roxy slumped into the bar stool at her island in lacy white and black lingerie taking the bottle and pouring two pills into the palm of her hand. She tossed them back and swallowed them with a mouthful of water. "Uuugh!"

Dirk chuckled softly leaning back against the counter. "Throat dry?"

"This water tastes awful." Roxy groaned rubbing her temples. "The hell did you do to it?"

"I didn't make the water Ro-Roo." Dirk glanced at the clock again. 7:23. "I made everything else though."

"Can I have a mimosa?"

Dirk rolled his eyes and straightened up. "Only if you make it yourself. I gotta take off. You wouldn't believe how long it takes it get through the city."

Roxy sighed and watched Dirk as he leaned forward to grab his cellphone. "Don't get hurt again, okay?"

"Roo, it's my job." Dirk flashed her a rare smile and pressed a kiss to the top of his head as he passed. "I can't exactly avoid it."

"Dirk-"

"Don't worry about it." Dirk winked at her as he stepped out into the hall. "I'll be careful."

Without pausing to hear her respond Dirk slipped out of the front door of Roxy's apartment.

/~/~/~/

Dirk sat cross legged on Jake's floor his back against the wall pealing his orange whilst the heir was attempting to conquer his naturally raggedy mound of jet black bed head. Every blast and curse elicited a wince out of Dirk. Jake was just too fucking loud for Dirk's hangover sensitive head, even after two painkillers.

"Do you happen to come with a volume control option or are you usually set on bullhorn?" Dirk asked passively as he examined his unpeeled orange.

Jake shot Dirk a glare. "You could always help."

Dirk grinned in spite of his aching head taking a moment to free a wedge. "You going to swing at me again?" Dirk popped it into his mouth.

"Why waist the swing? And can you stop it with that blasted orange?!" Dirk glanced at Jake before doing a double take. Jake was gnawing on his lower lip his emerald eyes fixated on his hair in the mirror. "He'll kill me."

"Huh?" Dirk mumbled around a mouthful of orange.

"I have to look good today."

"Aaand why would you have to do that?" Dirk watched Jake with a carefully guarded expression. "I thought today was a lazy day for you. No planing great adventures, just watching movies or playing Tomb Raider again."

"You don't know?" Jake turned towards him.

"Know what... sir?"

"I, uhm... I was pretty sure I told you..."

"Apparently not." Dirk responded as he chewed on a second wedge. "But what is it you were supposed to tell me about?"

"Tea with my father."

"..." Dirk chewed thoughtfully, his eyes taking on a dazed kind as he stared off over Jake's shoulder.

"Strider?" Jake crossed his arms clearly confused. "Are still with me?"

Dirk blinked his eyes snapped back to Jake. "Yeah, right here."

"Are you sure I didn't tell you?"

"Yeah, I would have remembered that." Dirk was a little lost as to why a lord would want to have tea with is son. It sounded strangely un-lordly. "Do you want me to come with you? Or wait outside?"

Jake opened his mouth clearly taken off guard. "I.. I'm not sure. I've never had one of you for more than a few days and-" Jake's eyes narrowed as Dirk bit into another orange wedge. "-for the lust of Athur's mighty round table will you take a beak from that fucking orange!"

"One, I doubt that there is anyone else out there like me. Two," Dirk licked his lips as he swallowed. "It might be smart to show your father that you are taking your own safety seriously enough to actually have me do my job instead of turning me into a babysitter. And three I'm not going to apologize for eating my breakfast."

"That's your breakfast?" Jake responded disbelievingly. "It doesn't look like much."

"Yeah, well I stayed at friend's place last night and I was in a rush." Dirk shrugged biting into the orange, juice dribbling down his chin. "Mhn." Dirk brushed the back of his hand against his chin and swiped his tongue as low as he could to catch what he could. "Damn." Dirk glance back up at Jake smirking faintly when he noticed he still had the man's attention. "Anyway I'll go with you to the door, but then you have to make a choice. Do I wait outside or do you want me to stand in the room while you have tea."

"I decide?"

"Yeah, you are my boss big boy." Dirk puffed a short laugh as he finished off his orange. Jake's eyes narrowed. "I follow your orders to the best of my ability. You know, once you start giving them."

"I thought that was a servant."

"I'm higher then a servant on the food chain." Dirk licked the juice off his fingers focusing on them as he thought of how to explain the difference between himself and Jake's personal maid. "Think of it this way. If you were playing chess who is the player you protect at all costs?"

"The King of course."

"And the most dispensable player?"

"The pawn." Jake replied indignantly.

"Correct. Think of your servants as just that. Your pawns, they distract and try their best usually to only be tossed aside for lack of experience. They very rarely do much in the end game."

"That doesn't sound right or present."

Dirk chuckled and shook his head. "It isn't but it's how it works, now let me finish." Dirk took the lack of a response as an invitation to continue going. "The next player?"

"The knight."

"Correct. Think of them as your basic guards. Next?"

"The rook."

"Those are your best and highest trained guards, the ones who hide in the shadows. They help, but tend to be stretched thin by their lack of numbers."

"Alright... That only leaves two players left." Jake crossed his arms as Dirk got to his feet. "The king and the queen."

"Yes." Dirk stretchered is arms above his head. "The king and the queen. The king is to be protected at all costs. No matter what is lost the king must not be take, right?" Dirk continued once he received a nod. "And no one can do that better then the queen. She can move diagonally, past rank, and so on. Whatever it takes to win the game, to save the king. Now think of yourself as the king. Who would you rather have at your side? A queen? A rook? A Knight? Or a Pawn?"

"It sounds as though I would benefit from all four of them."

"You would. But life isn't always a game of chess. If you were against the wall and needed someone who would you call for as the priceless piece?"

"... The queen. But this doesn't make any sense Strider. Who would be able to fill that particular spot on the board?"

Dirk smirked. "Me."

"I don't believe it." Jake retorted his eyes glinting. "How can you possibly be higher above any other protective measures my father has in place."

"Because I was hired due to credentials that blew his measures out of the water." Dirk met Jake's glare with an essence of calm. After a few seconds Dirk cursed softly. "How long do we have until you have tea?"

"An hour and a half." Jake responded at a loss of what was happening. "Why?"

"Because to be completely honest, I'm not thrilled with the way you use me." Dirk grabbed his katana and started out the door. "Come with me and I'll show you why you need me."

/~/~/~/

Dirk strolled into the empty training gym with Jake reluctantly trailing after him. Dirk leaned his katana against the wall and shrugged of his black dress jacket tossing it on a near by retired punching. With in seconds it was followed by his white collared shirt. Dirk kicked off his shoes and glanced around the partially set up exercises.

"Are you going to show me something or just continue stripping?" Jake asked as he slumped against the wall.

"You'd enjoy that wouldn't you?" Dirk shot back as he strapped his katana on his back. "Now just shut up and watch. Imagine that dummy over there as you and you're being attacked." Dirk gestured to the the damsel in distress doll laying in the middle if the mats.

"Why am I the woma-"

"Just for now, shut the hell up. Just watch." Dirk paused for a second before darting forward towards a karate dummy and somersaulting onto it's shoulders. Using the momentum Dirk bent his knees and flipped backwards, grabbing onto gymnastic holds hanging from the ceiling as the dummy crashed to the ground. Still using the momentum Dirk used them to hang upside down and let go, shooting like a bullet towards the mats and a cluster of beaten up dummies. At some point during his descent Dirk had unsheathed his katana and had begun to spin. His feet didn't touch the ground first, instead he landed on a dummy and repeated his first move, at the same tine decapitating the one to it's left. Dirk landed several feet away behind a dummy, cleanly stabbing it through the chest before quickly taking out the others with ease.

When he finished Dirk sheathed his katana. "I know it was a bit simplistic, but I didn't think I'd have enough time to set up an actual exercise with your lack of corporation." Dirk's eyes cut to Jake as he grabbed a towel to towel off. Jake was now sitting on the floor, his eyes wide, and looking as if he has slid down the wall. "You okay there?"

"I..." Jake's voice was soft. "How can you do that?"

"Years of practice." Dirk shrugged biting his cheek as he slipped on and buttoned up his collared shirt. "Now tell me. What am I on your chess board?"

"You're..." Jake cleared his throat and sat up, his eyes locking on Dirk's form as he redressed. "You are my bloody queen."

/~/~/~/

Jake stared into the tea filled tea cup in his hands. His mind was still whirling from watching Dirk demonstrate what he had thoroughly explained to Jake was barely a scratch into his skills. When lord English cleared his throat Jake nearly jumped out of his skin, his eyes cutting to his father. Lord English greatly resembled a bear to Jake. The man was nearly 6'3, his hair dark like Jake's only short and tame, his eyes a strange burning red, and he had one completely gold tooth. He also had the tenancy to shout and spew out very strange sentences, though he had gotten better about it over the years and it was normally in private it was still a mystery to Jake how his father was still considered one of the queen's favorites.

When the lord narrowed his eyes Jake flashed a quick smile and sipped quietly at his tea. Tea time with his father was never a private affair, it happened once a month at the very least and it was the English way to sort out all of the major problems in Thyme. It was also one of the occasions Jake's father acknowledged Jake's existence and attempted to instill what will one day be expected of Jake when he became a royal representative ruler. Bangers in a sockhat, all the lord had him do was sit quietly and observe whilst drinking tea.

The mass line of cases where cut down and reformed for the hour and a half that was demanded from the younger English. It usually went from small and simply solved disputes to the issue of debts or taxes before ending with a dozy. Sometimes a kidnapping or a murder, though no matter the crime in gave Jake the chills to think about someone actually committing it. How could someone actually be content killing another? Jake fought the urge to crane his neck to look at Dirk Strider who could thrust his sword into nearly ten dummies in less than three minutes. Who had just explained things about his safety that no one had ever tried to do before. That people would die to protect him. The idea sat as well with him as one person killing another in cold blood.

Jake focused his gaze on the man standing a few feet in front of him instead whom was in mid speech. Jake tried to focus on the topic but found himself instead thinking of the ease Dirk had in his gate during his first initial dummy attack. Jake bit the inside of his lower lip as the entire scene played out in his mind as if on repeat, yet this time his focus wasn't on the results it was on the actions. The way Dirk's muscles instinctively knew what he wanted them to do. Jake shook his head to clear away the images, acutely aware of the eyes that latched on the the back of his head. Where in the name of the king's twisted Sunday best knickers did the that come from?

"Jacob!" Jake jolted his eyes snapping towards his father unsure of what he had done wrong. "Watch your cup!"

Jake's eyes darted to his hands and righted them before his tea could spill onto the priceless heirloom rug. Jake inwardly bit his lip expecting a reprimand for his near mistake sparing a glance to his father. Strangely Lord English had turned away focusing instead on the convicted standing a few feet away as if he were thinking of a suitable punishment. Jake took another sip of tea, his gaze wandering towards the window trying to keep himself from looking too much to the side where the lithe figure of Strider stood in the shadows watching.

/~/~/~/

Dirk followed Jake out of the room after executing a quick bow to the Lord English. During the afternoon tea party sentencing ring Dirk had noticed Jake's demeanor change. He was quiet and focused on his tea. That wasn't the Jake that he had become accustomed to. The version he was used to was far from the quiet and resigned type. More like the over active and explosive volcano. Dirk watched Jake, keeping a few feet behind him. Waiting. Just waiting for Jake to shoot some snide remark or even throw some absurd phrase at him.

Instead Jake led Dirk to his suite and flopped on the bed. Dirk closed the door and looked around, trying to think of what to do. It unsettled Dirk how Jake just stared up at the ceiling, his legs hanging off the edge of the bed. Dirk walked over and nudged the sole of Jake's show with the tip of his own. Jake's eyes flickered from the ceiling to Dirk's face and then back again.

"Yes?" Jake asked softly.

"Are you okay?" Jake shrugged, his eyes glued on the pale stone of the ceiling. "What's bothering you?"

"Why should you care?"

Dirk opened his mouth before shutting it, unsure why he did care before offering Jake his hand. "Lets play a game or something."

"W-what?" Dirk nearly laughed at the look of surprise and confusion on Jake's face. It was borderline adorable. Instead he grinned and puffed in amusement.

"A game." Dirk kept his hand in place, a challenging gleam in his eyes. "Something you play for fun. Something other then glaring up at the ceiling."

"I'm not glar-"

"Are you afraid I'd kick your ass?" Dirk taunted, wiggling the fingers of his offered hand. "That's it isn't it?"

"No!" Jake squinted up at Dirk. "You couldn't touch my ass if you tried Strider!"

Dirk arched an eyebrow, watching Jake's cheeks tint red and avert his eyes. "I wasn't goin-"

"Shut up." Jake sat up, pulling one leg up and leaning his chin on his knee. He still refused to look directly at Dirk or in his general direction, instead his eyes focused on his bull skull hanging on his wall. "What game do you have in mind Strider?"

Dirk shrugged. "What ever kinda game you want to play."

"..." Jake nipped his lip, nodding slowly. "Have you ever played Assassins Creed?"

Dirk chuckled. "Play it? I live it. Why? You have a copy?"

"All of them actually."

"All of them? Damn." Dirk let his hand fall to his side and turned his head to the side. "Nice."

"Then lets play." Jake glanced up at Dirk, a small smile on his face.

Dirk shrugged, his gaze meeting Jake's. "Now? Or later?"

"We can go now." Jake got to his feet, taring his eyes away from Dirk's. "Which one?"

"I always liked Etzio."

"Etzio is a rather sharp chap."

Dirk raised an eyebrow. "Yatsu?"

"What does that mean Strider?"

"Pretty much what you just said." Dirk answered following Jake into an adjourning room, decked out with top of the line gadgets and a large flat screen tv. Jake quickly fell into setting everything up, tossing a controller at Dirk who caught it deftly. "Thanks."

"You're welcome Strider." Jake flopped onto the couch next to him, starting the game. They sat in an oddly comfortable silence. Every so often Jake glanced over at Dirk. And by every so often seems to mean ever five minutes as Dirk felt eyes burning into the side of his face. Finally Dirk glanced to the side, catching Jake's suddenly alarmed gaze. "I-I-"

Dirk's eyebrows arched questioningly. "What's up?"

"I just, I know it's probably insensitive and such... But I... I wanted to ask..."

"Ask away." Dirk watched Jake in interest, curious about what could peek this kids interest about him when it never bothered anyone else. At least not to the point of staring and stumbling.

"Can you..." Jake glanced at the screen, watching the character climb up the building with his bare hands. "Can you do that as well?"

"Do what? Climb like that? Hells yeah." Dirk's eyes cut back to the screen as he licked his bottom lip. This was the man that was going to run Thyme? Seriously? Kid's going to be eaten alive. Dirk dodged to the side along with his character, much to Jake's amusement. Dirk became so involved in the game that he actually jumped at the loud and brief sound of rave music that erupted from the space between himself and Jake. Jake burst out in a fit of laughter as he scooped up and held the culprit up. Dirk's own phone. "Fuck me." Dirk gave it a quick glance before returning his attention to the game.

"Well, if you-" Jake bit his lip, staring at the orange shell of Dirk's phone.

"What?" Dirk replied distractedly as the pads of his fingers mashed against the buttons.

"I think this fell out of your pants pocket." Jake recovered quickly. "Should I answer this for you?"

"Is it a text or an e-mail?" Dirk asked, his hands and the controller jerking to the left.

"Text I believe." Jake slid the pad of his thumb across the screen, tilting his head to the side. "Two of them."

"Two? Man, I'm popular today." Dirk breathed a sigh of relief as the game saved and turned towards Jake. "Who? It it Roxy?"

"One is... the other is strangely named..."

Dirk frowned slightly and held his hand out for his phone which Jake handed over in confusion. Dirk glanced down at the screen. "Son of a fuck..."

"Who is that?" Jake asked glancing from the phone to Dirk's suddenly composed face.

"No one important." Dirk glanced up at Jake before typing out quick responses. "Just a pest."

"Pest?"

"Yeah."

Jake frowned, squinting his eyes. "What kind of pest?"

"The worst kind."

"I thought that that would be a matter of opinion?" The corner of Dirk's mouth twitched.

"You're right. It is."

"And you don't want to talk about it?"

Dirk placed his phone on the coffee table to the side and focused on Jake. "Not really." Jake's crestfallen expression caused Dirk to sigh softly. "Look at it this way. We've known each other for a month, but aside from that you don't exactly like me. There's also a fine line between work and my personal life."

"Alright..."

"Just... weird ya know?" Dirk didn't look away from Jake, unused to the way Jake met his gaze evenly. "It's kind of a friend thing."

"Not really." Jake shook his head, smiling sadly. "But it shouldn't bother me. I'm used to being an outsider."

'Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck...' Who the hell decided to give that kid the ability to look like an attention starved puppy? Inside his head Dirk was slamming his head against the wall. One month. One month and already he felt as though he was working the difficult job of his life. Never before had Dirk actually had to explain the difference between work and personal lives. Never had he ever seen someone smile through being sad.

"Just means that you're going to have to get to know me." Dirk mentally cursed himself. Seriously? What the fuck possessed him to say that? But as Dirk looked into Jake's eyes he felt as if maybe he had done the right thing. Maybe? If not he could always work around it.

"You mean... be friends?" Jake tilted his head slightly, raising his eyebrows.

"Perhaps." Dirk shrugged, unsure what else to do. "Or just you know not try to find a reason to hate me?"

Jake chuckled embarrassed. "I won't make any promises Strider."

"Hey, then you won't have anything to break." Dirk smirked, his orange eyes lighting up dimly before glancing back at his cell phone. "That reminds me... When is that adventure trip you're planing?"

"Two days. Why?"

Dirk glanced back. "I've got to tell a friend that I'm going to be MIA around that time. I'd rather not get a riot act for just vanishing. Again. Apparently."

"Roxy?"

"Yeah. Roxy." Dirk slowly shook his head.

"If you don't mind my asking, who is Roxy?" The tentative tone with which Jake spoke made Dirk look at him curiously.

"Roxanne Lalonde." Dirk bit the corner of his lower lip, thinking over a way to explain Roxy. "She's..." Pure spessarite orbs met emerald causing Dirk to bite his lip momentarily. "She's my best friend."

"Oh." Dirk involuntarily moved forward an inch when Jake turned his attention back to the game. "You know... it's screwier than Doctor Who mistaking his sonic screwdriver for a light-up dildo. Only an hour ago I wanted to hit you. Now here we are, playing a video game and talking..."

"Yeah-did you just say light-up dildo?" Dirk's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline as Jake's face and neck flushed red.

"Well, erm, yes." Jake rubbed the back of his neck avoiding looking at any part of his blond body guard. "Anyway..." Jake cleared his throat. "It is rather strange, wouldn't you say?"

"I'm still trying to get over that comment... the visual..." Dirk shook with silent laughter his mind shifting between doctors. "No matter what it's hilarious."

Jake punched the front of Dirk's shoulder, still avoiding looking at him. "Flying fucking bangers Strider, way to ruin it."

"Ruin what?" Dirk smirked, rolling the arm Jake hit. "Your pass at making that phrase normal? Psh." Jake shot a glare at him.

"You know what? I take it back." Jake folded his arms.

"You can't take back a light-up dildo." Dirk smirked a few seconds longer before sobering up. "But yeah... It is weird that for maybe five minutes you didn't hate my existence."

"It's your mouth I dislike."

"That's a first. I usually get complements on what my mouth is capable of."

"Strider..."

"English." Dirk's eyes sparkled mischievously before he glanced at the tv.

Jake chewed the inside of his bottom lip watching Dirk's eyes begin to glaze over again. Finally, some form of emotion. Jake had succeeded. So... why did he want more?


End file.
